Ammunition handling apparatus



Aug. 27, 1963 c. w. GREENE 1 AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1952 v 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor er" WGreene Attorney Aug. 27, 1963 c. w. GREENE AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1952 l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 4, 1952 Aug. 27, 1963 c. w. GREENE AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS 1O Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 4, 1952 es zer W Greene By his Attorney 1963 c. w. GREENE 3,101,647

AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor GVwster WGreene By I 65/ Aug. 27, 1963 c. w. GREENE AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS 1O Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 4. 1952 07'' Cheszer WGreene Aug. 27, 19.63 c. w. GREENE 3,101,

AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1952 1o SheetE-Sheet 7 Inventor" ezer W Greene 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April 4, 1952 Aug. 27, 1963 c. w. GREENE AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 LIE/v Inventor 677198 zel" Wreene By hzsAzzorneg Filed April 4, 1952 United States Patent 3,101,647 AMMUNK'HQN HANDLING APPARATUS) Chester W. Greene, Lynn, Mass, assignor to United hhoe Machinery (Impor ation, Flemington, NE, a corporation of New .lersey Filed Apr. 4, 1952, $82. No. zsasza 14 Claims. (Cl, 89-46) This invention relates to ammunition handling apparatus and is illustrated herein as embodied in a magazine and a hoist for supplying ammunition automatically to a hammer oi? the type disclosed in an application of Charles J. Gross, Serial No. 280,498, filed on April 4, 1952.

The above-mentioned rammer is adapted for use with a gun of the type disclosed in an application of AD. Willhauck, Serial No. 280,468, filed on April 4, 1952, now Patent No. 2,779,242, and is arranged" to carry a shell from one side of the gun into alinement therewith, to

project the shell into the gun chamber, which causes the gun automatically to be fired, and then to return to its original position in readiness to receive the next shell to be fired.

As is usual in gun installations aboard a ship, the abovementioned gun and rammer, together with the ammunition handling apparatus disclosed herein, are arranged as a unitary structure capable of being installed upon or removed from the ship in one assembly. Moreover, in this kind of installation, the ammunition is stored a considerable distance from the gun in a magazine below the deck, and is carried from the magazine to the vicinity of the gun by a hoist. The magazine and hoist each cornprise a conveyor, the magazine conveyor having at capacity sufiicient to permit a burst of continuous rap-id firing of considerable length before reloading of the magazine is required.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved ammunition handling apparatus, including cooperating magazine and hoist conveyors, for supplying shells of either of two kinds, as selected by the gunner, with a frequency equal to or greater than that of the firing cycle of the gun, so that the rate of tire of the gun will not be limited by the supply of ammunition.

To this end, and in accordance with one feature of this invention, the illustrated apparatus includes, with a magaselected magazine conveyor and the mechanism for transferring the shell from this magazine conveyor to the hoist conveyor. Thus, in the usual operation in the illustrative apparatus, for every shell which is delivered from the hoist to the hammer, another shell is delivered from the magazine to the hoist at the end of each operating cycle of the hoist.

In each compartment of the magazine, the tnansfer of shells from the magazine conveyor to the hoist conveyor takes place at a loading station to which a series of shell holders on the hoist conveyor are brought, one at a time, during each operation of the hoist. The abovementioned control means is operated, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, by and at the end of each operation of the hoist conveyor, to bring a sensing device into the shell receiving space associated with that holder which is moved to the loading station. From. one

standpoint, this control means is constructed and arranged to operate in response to the engagement of a sensing device with a shell in an already loaded holder to prevent another shell from being delivered to this holder. From ice has!

another standpoint, the control means is so arranged that, upon the movement of a sensing device into the shell receiving space of an empty holder, the driving mechanism for that magazine conveyor holding the type of ammunition selected by the gunner is actuated to cause the leading shell on that conveyor to be delivered to the hoist conveyor.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, each shell holder upon the hoist conveyorcornprises grippers which are closed against :a shell by meansof a spring loaded toggle connecting the grippers, the grippers also being constructed and arranged to sustain the weight of the shell during its delivery onto the holder by engagement with a shoulder on the shell. In order to facilitate the delivery of the shell to a holder, novel means is provided, at the loading station for separating the grippers, this means being operated in response to the engagement of the shell therewith as it is moved by the abovementioned transferring mechanism from the magazine conveyor onto the hoist conveyor. This means, as illustrated herein, comprises a gate arranged to swing out of the path of the shell as it is moved past the gate, and t veyor, as well as for depositing the shell upon the rammer with a movement which is transverse to the direction of the movement imparted to the shell by the conveyor.

These and other featuresof the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing an illustrative embodiment thereof, and will be defined in the claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is l2. side elevation of a gunturret, including the ammunition handling apparatus provided by the invention in its operative relation with respect: to a rammer and a gun, the turret and its mount being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the gun, the rammer, and that part of the hoist whichis above the base of the turret;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the magazine as viewed from the level of the deck on which the turret is mounted, the loading station of the upper compartment of the magazine being shown in section;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a part of the magazine, including the upper loading station, shown in FIG. .3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional side elevation of a part of the magazine, the section being taken along the line VV in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional rear elevationof a part of the magazine, the section being taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional side elevation of a part of the magazine, the section being taken along the line VII- VII in FIG. 4; r v i FIG. 8 is a sectional side elevation showing the loading station of the lower compartment of the magazine, the section being indicated by the line VIII-VHI in FIG. 4; t

FIG. 9 is a sectional side elevation of the upper portion of the hoist;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the upper part of the hoist illustrating a shell in a holder on the hoist just before the shell is released from the holder, the section being taken along'the line X--X in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10, and illustrating the release of the shell from the shell holders; FIG. 12 is a'sectional plan view illustrating the relation of the transfer tray to the rammer when the transfer of the shell from the hoist to the rammer begins, the section being taken along the line XIIXII in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a side elevation of a portion of the driving mechanism for the magazine conveyors;

' FIG. 14 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 13, the section being taken along the line XIV-XIV; and

1 is .a diagram of electrical connections em 7 ployed in the mechanism for controlling the operation of the magazine conveyors.

For convenience of illustration and description, only the right-hand gun (FIG. 1) of a dual mount, together with the associated rammer '12, and ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist .14 and magazine '16, are shown in the drawings and will be described below.

I The gun and rammer are mounted upon trunnions for movement together in elevation between a pair of pedestals 18 which are fixed to the deck 20 of a turret, the latter being mounted to rotate in train upon a bearing circle 22 which is fixed to the ships deck 24.

The hoist comprises a housing 26 which is fixed to the turret deck 20 and extends downwardly through the deck from the level of the gun to the magazine 16. In the upper part of the housing there'is mounted a shaft 28 carrying a double sprocket 30 (FIGS. 9 and 10) about which a pair of chains 32, 3:2, constituting a part of the hoist conveyor, is looped, each chain being guide in a -T -shaped guideway 34 formed in the housing 26, and, by

idler sprockets 36, 38 the former being disposed just below the shaft 28, and the latter being rotatably mounted near the base of the lowercompartment 40 of the magazine (-FIG. 8). A similar idler sprocket 39 having the same function as that of the sprocket 38 is mounted in 'the lower part of the upper compartment 42 of the magav zine.

v The hoist conveyor is thus arranged to run vertically through the magazine, this arrangement permitting the storage of dilferent kinds of shells, such as armor piercing shells and high explosive shells, each in its own compartment, and allowing either kind of shell, as selected by the operator, to be loaded upon the hoist conveyor.

.This conveyor carries a series of shell holders each comprising a'pair of grippers 44, 44- (FIGS. 8, 10 and 11) arranged to engage the shell case near its flanged end, and a smaller pair of grippers 46, 46 arranged to' engage the projectile. 'Each time when the rammer 12 moves to its shell receiving position (FIGS. 2. and 12) a switch 48 is closed which causesa solenoid operated plunger 50 (FIG. 9) to trip a, one-revolution rolling-pin type of clutch 52. The hoist conveyor is now operated through one cycle, and discharges the leading shell thereon into a chute 54 which hinges upon the shaft 28 with the gun as it is moved in elevation. The chutedirects the shell onto a transfer tray 56 which is mounted to swing parallel to itself, under the momentum of the shell, first longitudinally thereof, and finally laterally thereof, to deposit the shell upon the above-mentioned rammer 12. While this action takes place at the upper end of the hoist conveyor, the lowest shell holder on the descending run of the conveyor is moved to a loading station in the lower magazine compartment, and the shell holder last occupying the loading station of the lower magazine compartment is advanced to a loading station in the upper compartment.

loading stations. At each loading station there is a transferring mechanism, including a pair of cam members 60, 60 (FIG. 8), which propel the shell last advanced thereto from the magazine onto the holder on the hoist conveyor which is at the loading station, if that holder is empty, and if the gunner has selected for firing the type of shell which is in the magazine compartment to which the empty holder has been brought. Thus, at the end of each cycle of operation of the hoist conveyor one or the other of the magazine conveyors, according to the type of shell to be supplied to the hoist conveyor, is operated by its driving mechanism under the control of identical upper and lower sensing devices 62, 64 (FIGS. 8 and 4) which are mountedto swing into the. shell receivng spaces, of the,

' to replenish that holder as willbe described in detail below. In this connection, it is evident that at the end of each cycle of operation of the hoist conveyor an empty shell holder will always be brought to the loading station of the lower magazine compartment. However, if the gunner, after having fired shells from the lower compartment, desires to fire the different type in the upper compartment, the conveyor and transfer mechanism in the upper compartment of the magazine will not be operated until the holders on the hoist conveyor which have been loaded in the lower magazine have passed beyond the loading station of the upper compantment.

=Having broadly outlined the principal features and mode of, operation of the illustrated apparatus, it will be further described below in detail. 7

Each of the magazines, which 'are of identical construction, comprises sets of web-frames 66 at its top and bottom, each set of frames being bolted together in the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, and the upper and lower frames lbeing held in the proper spaced relation by a. T-slots 70 (FIG. 6') formed series of struts 68 (FIG. 1). in bars 72 which are integral with the Web-frames constitute guideways for the above-mentioned chains 58, 58. Upon the right-hand ends of successive pairs of webframes there are fixed end-frames 74 (FIG. 3) in eachof which there is rotatably mounted a shaft 76 carrying upper and lower sprockets 78, 78 around which the chains travel from one set of web-frames to the" next Secured to the left-hand ends of the forward web-frames is an offset end-frame 80, having T-slots formed therein in continuation with the above-mentioned T-slots 70,

and provided with pairs of idler sprockets 82, 84, over which the chains 58 are directed so as to avoid interference with the hoist housing 26. Therear portion of the end frame 80 is fixed to the left-hand ends of the rearmost web frames 66, and is also provided with T-slots in continuation of the above-mentioned T-slots 70. An-v other pair of idler sprockets 86, rotatably mounted upon the rear portion of the end frame, directs the chains through the angle between the straight runs of the chains at each side of these sprockets. At the left-hand end of the end-frame 80 of each compartment there is rotatably mounted a drive shaft .87 which carries a pair of sprockets 88 about whichthe chains 58 run. Hinged upon the lefthand end of each end-frame 80 is a door 89 (FIG. 4) which may be opened to permit ammunition to be loaded upon the conveyor. The flanged ends of the shells are guided throughout the sinuous path of the chains 58, 58 between lips 96 (FIG. 6) which extend downwardly from the upper web-frame 66, these lips being grooved at 92 to receive the flanges on the shells, thus to support the weight of the shells. The projectile of the shell runs between guides 94 which are fixed to the struts 68 connecting the upper and lower web-frames. Connecting the upper and lower chains 58, 58 is a series of rods 96, each rod carrying a set of spacers 93, of different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of the parts of the shell engaged by the spacers, the rods and spacers being so proportioned and located as to receive the shells with only a slight clearance, and to hold them in a vertical position through their travel in the magazine.

To load the magazine, shells are inserted through the open door 89 and placed between successive groups of spacers 98, the chains being driven manually with a stepby-step retrograde movement until the first shell loaded into the magazine has reached the inner end thereof at 1% (FIGS. 3 and 4) at which time about 80 shells will have been loaded into the magazine. After this operation has been completed, the door is closed, and thereafter is utilized during the advancing movements of the magazine conveyor to direct the shells therefrom toward the loading station, from which they are eventually transferred to the hoist conveyor. The advancing shells, upon reaching the sprockets 88, continue to be supported by their flanges, which rest upon the'top edge of the door 89 and a shoulder 1111 fixed to the end-frame 80. Another shoulder 102 cooperates with the shoulder 101 to support and direct the shells in their movement off the door 89 and magazine conveyor, and into the loading station. The conveyor chains 58, '58 are intermittently operated, to deliver the shells to the loading station, as a result of a step-by-step movement of the drive shaft 87 which is openated 'by the following mechanism.

To the upper and lower ends of the shaft 87 in the upper compartment are fixed gears 103, 103 (FIG. 1), a similar pair of gears 104, 104 also being fixed to the ends of the lower shaft 87. These gears are driven by pairs of pinions 105, 106 (FIG. 8), respectively, the former pinions being fixed to a tube 107 which extends through and above the upper magazine compartment. The latter pinions are fixed to a shaft 108 which is rotatably mounted within the tube and extends from the base of the lower magazine compartment to a point just below the deck 24.

Upon the upper ends of the shaft -8 and tube 187 there are fixed sprockets 116, 118 (FIG. 13), respectively, which are connected by chains 120, 122 to another pair of sprockets 124, 126, the latter being mounted to rotate upon a shaft 123 (FIG. 14) which is mounted upon a bracket 13% fixed to the hoist housing 26. Associated with the sprocket 124 is a rolling-pin type of one-revolution clutch 132, of usual construction, which is normally held in a disengaged state by a plunger 134. This plunger is mounted to slide horizontally in bearings 136, which are integral with the bracket 130, and is yieldingly held in its operative position by a spring 138. The end of the plunger remote from the clutch is connected to a lever 140, hinged at its lower end upon the bracket 130, and

adapted to be engaged at its upper end by a hook 141 which is connected to the plunger 14-2 of a solenoidld t. When the solenoid is energized, the plunger 13% is retnacted permitting the clutch 132 to become engaged. During the latter part of the movement of the plunger 1'42 the hook 141, whichoverlies an incline formed on the upper side of one of the bearings 13 6, is lifted out of engagement with the lever 14d, whereby the plunger 134 is permitted to return to its operative position in readiness to disengage the clutch upon the completion of one revolution thereof. The plunger 134 cannot be actuated again to trip the clutch until the solenoid has been deenergized, and the hook 141 has reengaged the lever 1%. An exactly similar mechanism, operated by another solenoid 146, is provided for operating the other sprocket 126. A driving element 148, common to both clutches and rotatably mounted upon the shaft 128, is fixed to a flywheel 1511 which is connected by belts 152 to a motor 154 (FIG. 1), the latter being mounted upon a beam 156 by which the magazine is suspended from the turret deck 20.

One or the other of the solenoids 144, 146 is actuated, as will be explained later, to cause a shell in the magazine to be transferred to the hoist conveyor as soon as it comes to rest at the end of each cycle of its operation.

As stated above, each shell holder of the hoist conveyor comprises a pair of grippers 44, 44 (FIG. 8) and a smaller pair of grippers 46, 46, these pairs of grippers being so spaced along the chains 32, 32 that the larger grippers engage the shell near its flanged end, while the smaller grippers engage the projectile of the shell. Each pair of grippers is pivotally mounted upon a U-shaped yoke 15$ (FIGS. 4, 8 and 10) which-is carried by the chains 32, 32. The inner ends of each pair of grippers are connected by toggle links 166,166 which are urged toward their extended relation by a spring 162 so as to cause the forward ends of the grippers to close against a shell which is seated in the yokes.

At the end of each cycle of operation of the hoist conveyor, a shell holder is brought to the loading station in each magazine compartment. That is, the grippers 44-, 46 will be brought into the relation with respect to the leading shell supported by the shoulders 101, 10 2 at the loading station, illustrated in FIG. 8. During each cycle of operation of the magazine conveyor a shell, such as that at 16d (FIG. 4), is guided by the door 89 between the shoulders 101, 102 under the camrning action of the spacers 98, which run off the shell at its left-hand side as they pass the loading station. 1 Each shell is thus pushed into the field of action of the cam members 60, there being a pair of such members at the loading station in each magazine compartment. These members in the lower compartment are fixed to the shaft 108,. while the similar members in the upper compartment are fixed to the tube 107. These members are, therefore, driven, in synchronism with the chains 53, through one revolution for each cycle of operation of the chains. During each revolution of the cam members, hollow shoulders 168 thereon engage the shell which has just left the magazine conveyor, and drive it along the shoulders 1111, 162 into the empty shell holder on the hoist conveyor at the loading station.

During the latter part of this movement, and as the shell approaches the ends of the shoulders it passes between a pair of upper gates 170 and another pair of lower gates 171 which are mounted .to swing about vertical axes. upon the end-frame 80, in response to the advancing movement of the shell. As these gates are separated they cooperate with the outer ends of the grippers 44-, 46 to move the latter to their open positions so that the shell is freely admitted into the shell holder. Before the flange of the shell moves off the shoulders 101, 102, a shoulder on the projectile at 172 becomes seated upon the lower grippers whereby the weight of the shell is sustained when the shoulders 101, 102 no longer support the shell, and until the shell becomes seated upon the holder with its shoulder at 172 overlying the lower yoke 153. As the shell passes through the gates, they are moved toward their closed positions by springs 173 (FIG. 4), and in doing so release the grippers so that the latter may close behind the shell.

When during each cycle of operation of the hoist conveyor, the leading shell thereon passes into the chute 54 (FIGS. 9, 10 and 11), the inner ends of the grippers 44-, 46 engage the inner converging side of the sprocket 3d, causing the toggles to be collapsed, the grippers to be opened, and the shell to be released from the shell holder. The shell, under the momentum imparted to it by the hoist conveyor, now passes through the chute, which is shaped pair of U-shaped arms 178,180 (FIGS. 9 and 12) which 7 connect the forward and rear ends of the tray, respectively, with the chute 54. It will now be evident that, as soon as the shell strikes the shoulder 176, the transfer tray will be swung, first rearwardly and finally later-ally of the shell, by momentum of theshell, until the tray reaches its broken line position in FIG. 12. At this time, the shell is deposited upon the above mentioned Gross rammer, and the transfer tray is immediately returned to its original position by springs 190, 190", which are stretched between the chute 54 and the arm 180. The return movement of the transfer tray is snubbed by a buffer plunger 192 which is yieldingly mounted upon the chute 54. The shell is guided at its forward end in its movement into the rammer, between a pair of arcuate converging guides 194 which are formed integral with the chute, and a similar pair of parallel. guides 198 support the flanged end of the shell throughout this movement.

Near the end of the swinging movement of the transfer tray toward the rammer, angular extensions 199, 200- on the outer ends of arms 178, 180*, respectively, engage the outer side of the shell and locate it with respect to the transfer tray so that the shell will be firmly seated upon the rammer. The extensions 199, 200 are moved through openings 201, 202, respectively, in the outer side of the transfer tray as a result of the changing angular relation relation between the arms 178, 180 and the transfer tray, this arrangement also insuring that the extensions will have been moved out of the path of the next shell to be supplied to the transfer tray when the latter has been returned to its original position in alinement with the chute 54.

As may be more clearly understood :from the Gross application, the shell, upon being deposited upon the rammer, is held there, so that it cannot follow the transfer tray duringits return movement, by hinged holders 203 which open as the shell is inserted into the rammer, and are then closed against the outer side of the shell. Similarly, the forward end of the shell is locked in the ram mer by a pair of pawls, not disclosed herein, but fully shown and described in the Gross application.

Each'time when the rammer moves into its shell receiving position, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the abovementioned switch 48 is closed, completing the circuit to the solenoid which operates the plunger 50* (FIG. 9) for tripping the above-mentioned clutch 52. The operation of the hoist conveyor through one cycle is thus started, and the leading shell thereon is projected into the chute 54, and thence into the transfer tray which deposits the shell upon the rammer, .as described above. The clutch 52 engages the'sprocket 30 With a flywheel 204 (FIG. 1) which is mounted to rotate upon the shaft 28 and is connected by belts 206 to amotor 208, the latter being fixed to the turret deck 20. Solenoid operated mechanism similar tothat used in connection with the above-described clutch 132 in the driving mechanism for the magazine conveyors is provided for tripping the clutch 52 and, once operated, is not reset, so that it can again trip the clutch, until the switch 48 is opened again, that is, when the rammer is moved out of its shell receiving positionto deliver the shell driven therein to the gun. Accordingly, once the hoist conveyor has been operated to load the rammer, this conveyor cannot again be operated until the rammer has gone through a cycle of its operation and has returned, empty, to its shell receiving position.

Other control mechanism, including the above-mentioned sensing devices 62, 64 operable in timed relation to the hoist conveyor, is provided for operating one or the other of the magazine conveyors, according to the desire of the gunner as to the type of ammunition to be supplied to the hoist. It is to be under-stood that the sensing devices are identical in construction, and that they will be described below with reference to the showing of the upper device in plan in FIG. 4, and of the lower device in side elevation in FIG. 8. Each of these devices comprises upper and lower arms 210 and 212 which are fixed upon the opposite ends of a shaft 214 which is'rotatably mounted on the inner side of the hoist housing 26. The lower arm carries a cam roll 216 arranged to run upon a cam 218 which'is eifectually integral With the sprocket '38, a similar earn also being associated with the sprocket 39. Upon the upper arm 210 there is pivoted a feeler 22% carrying an electrical contacto-r Y 222 which, when the arm 220 is swung in a" counterclockwise direction, under the influence ofa spring 224 stretched between the feeler and the arm 210, engages another contactor 226 on the upper end of the arm 210. Electrically connected with the contactor 226 is another contactor 228' which'is pivotally mounted for limited yielding movement upon the hub of the arm 210. The

shape of the cam 218 is such as to cause the arm 210 to swing firom a clear space between the .runs of the hoist conveyor into the shell receiving space of that shell holder whichis moved to the loading station at the end of a cycle of operation of "the hoist conveyor. If that shell holder is empty, the contactors 222 and226 remain in engagement with each other, and the contactor 228 will be moved into engagement with another contactor 230 which is fixed to an arm 231 mounted upon the hoist housing. When both sets of these contactors on the lower sensing device 64 are closed, an electrical circuit is com- .pleted to the solenoid 144 (FIG. assuming that the gunner has closed a selector switch 232 atthe firing station corresponding to the type of ammunition with which the lower magazine compartment has been loaded. Under these circumstances, a shell will be delivered by the lower magazine conveyor and transfer mechanism into the shell holder at the lower loading station (FIG. 8), and duringthe latter part of this movement of the shell it engages the feeler 220, and swings it counterclockwise upon the arm 210, whereby the contactors 222 and 226 are separated and the circuitto the solenoid 144 is opened.

If, as may occur at the upper loading station a shell holder, already loaded from the lower magazine compartment, moves to theloading station of the upper compartment and the upper sensing device 62 moves toward the shell receiving space of this holder, the feeler 220 upon engaging the shell will be swung clockwise upon the arm 210 causing the contactors 222 and 226 to. be separated before the contactors 228, 230 engage each other. Accordingly, the circuit to the solenoid 146 for actuating the upper magazine conveyor cannot be closed even though the operator has operated the'selector switch 232 calling for the type of ammunition contained in the upper magazine compartment. Thus, when it is desired to change from the type of ammunition in the lowercompartment to that in-the upper compartment, the hoist conveyor will be operated through two cycles of its operation before the desired ammunition is supplied to it. On the other hand if, after having used the type of am'munition in the upper magazine compartment, it is desired to change to that of the lower compartment, ammunition from that compartment'will be loaded upon the hoist conveyor at the end of the first operation of the hoist conveyor after-the decision to change ammunition has been made, since anempty shell holder is always brought to the loading station of the lower magazine compartment during every cycle of operation of the hoist conveyor.

. The operation of the apparatus disclosed herein will the shell for movement underits own momentum through the chute 54 and onto the transfer tray- 56.v The tray, motivated by the momentum of the shell, now'swings on the arms 178, first rearwardly, and then later-ally of the gun 10, to deposit the shell onthe rammer. During this movement of the shellit is guided by the arcuate guides 194, 198; and the extensions 199, 200 on the arms 178, 130 insure the proper seating of the shell upon the rammer. Having thus delivered the shellto the rammer, the transfer tray immediately returns to its shell-receiving position under the influence of the springs 19%. l

The above-described operation of the hoist, transfertr-ay and rammer will now be repeated immediately if the gunner holds the firing switch closed, as when it is desired to fire in a continuous burst. l

Toward the end of each operation of the hoist, and in response thereto, the sensing devices 62, 64 are swung toward the hoist at the loading stations; and if the shell holder at that loading station corresponding tothe type of ammunition for which the selector switch 232 has been set is empty, a shell will be supplied to that holder from the appropriate magazine conveyor. A cycle of operation of this conveyor is initiated by the closing of the contactors 222, 226 and 228, 239 and the engagement of one of the clutches 132, each cycle of operation being terminated automatically by the disengagement of the clutch at the end of a full revolution thereof.

During each advancing movement of the magazine conveyor the leading shell thereon is directed into the loading station between the shoulders liil, 102 which support the shell by its flange. The shell is propelled by the cam member 60 between the gates 170, 171 whi-ch,rin being separated by the shell, open the grippers 44, 46 to receive the shell. The gates upon closing behind the shell release the grippers which are closed around the shell, by the spring-loaded toggle links 150.

The operating'cycle of the magazine is timed so that it is completed before the arrival of the rammer in its shell-receiving position, in order avoid delaying the next cycle of operation of the hoist.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: t

1. In an ammunition handling apparatus, the cornbination with a rammer movable between a shell receiving position and a ramming position, of a hoist conveyor having a series of spaced shell holders, driving means actuated by movement of said ramrner into its shell receiving position for operating said hoist conveyor to deliver the leading shell thereon to the hammer and to bring an empty holder to a loading station, a magazine conveyor for delivering shells to said loading station,

driving means for said magazine conveyor, transfer mechanism operable simultaneously with said magazine conveyor tor delivering the shell thereon at the loading station to said hoist conveyor, and control means operable in timed relation to said hoist conveyor for actuating said magazine conveyor driving means, said control means being mounted for movement into the shell receiving space associated With that holder which is moved to the loading station at the end of the operation of said hoist conveyor.

2. Ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist conveyor having a series of shell holders thereon, means for operating said hoist conveyor to bring said holders successively to a loading station, a magazine conveyor movable intermittently to advance shells thereon one at a time to said station, mechanism operable simultaneously With said magazine conveyor for transferring the shell at said station from said magazine conveyor to said hoist conveyor, and controlling means operated by said first- 19 the path of movement of the shell and driven by the momentum of the shell whereby the shell is discharged into the rammer in a direction extending crosswise of the gun.

4. In an ammunitionhandlin-g apparatus, the combination with a rammer mounted at one side of a gun, of a transfer tray disposed at the side of the rammer remote from the gun, and a hoist by which'shel'ls are projected longitudinallythe-reof rearwardly of the gun into said transfer tray, said transfer tray being operable to discharge the shells laterally thereof into the rammer and driven by the momentum of the shells in their movement into said tray.

5. Inan ammunition handling apparatus, the combination with a rammer mounted at one side of a gun, of a transfer tray, a hoist by which shells are projected trea-rwaa'dlyof the gun towards the tray, a chute for directingithe shells from said hoist into said tray, and a pair of arms upon which said tray is mounted to swing parallel to itself under the momentum of the shell to deposit the shell] on the rammer, said arms being movable into engagement with the shell toward the end of their swinging movement to positionlthe shell on the ramme-r.

6. In an ammunition handling apparatus, the combination with a rammer mounted at one side of a gun, of a transfer tray, a hoist by which shells are projected rearwardly of the gun towards the tray, a chute for directing the shells into said tray, a pair of arms upon which said tray is mounted to swing with respect to said chute rearwardly thereof and toward the rammer in an arcuate path, and arcuate guide-Ways upon said chute for directing the shell into the rammer, said arms being mova'ble into engagement with the shell at the end of their swinging movement to position the shell in the rammer.

7. Ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist conveyor having a series of shell holders thereon, each of said holders comprising a pair of yielding grippers for holding a shell in said holder, a chute into which the shells are discharged irom said conveyor, means includ ing a sprocket for guiding said conveyo r out of said chute, said sprocket cooperating with said grippers to release the shell as said conveyor passes said sprocket.

87 In an ammunition handling apparatus, the combination with :a rammer mounted at one side of a gun, of

a transfer tray disposed at the side of the rammer remote from the gun, a hoist by which shells are projected rearwardly of the gun toward said tray, a chute for directing the shells from the hoist into said tray, said tray being mounted upon said chute to swing under the influence of the shell first longitudinally thereorf and then latenally thereof into register with the rammer whereby the shell is deposited under its own momentum upon the rammer, and means for returning said tray into alinement With said chute in readiness to receive the succeeding shell.

9. Ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist conveyor having a series of shell holders, each of said toggle acting upon said grippers to cause them to close against a shell in the holder, :a chute into which the shells are discharged from said conveyor, means for guiding said conveyor into said chute along a path extending longitudinally thereof and thence out of said chute transversely thereof, and means for collapsing said toggles as holders on said hoist conveyor, each holder comprising cooperating yielding grippers for holding a shell inserted therebetween, said grippers also cooperating with a s houlder on the shell positively to sustain the weight thereof I when it passes off said Ways.

12. Ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist conveyor, a magazine conveyor tor supplying shells in succession to said hoist conveyor, ways for supporting a shell during its passage from said magazine conveyor to said hoist conveyor, shell holders on said hoist conveyor comprising grippers movable into and out of a closed 7 position, means for urging said grippers toward their closed position, means operable in synchronism with said magazine conveyor torpropelling the shell along said ways and into said holders, and a gate cooperating with said grippers to separate them in response to movement of the shell past the gate and to release them for movement into their closed position when the shell has become seated in said holders.

, 13. Ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist conveyor, a magazine conveyor for supplying shells in'sucoession to said hoist conveyor, ways for supporting a shell during its passage trom said magazineconveyor to said hoist conveyor, means operable in synchronism with said magazine conveyor =for propelling the shell along said 12 ways, shell holders on saidhois t conveyor comprising separable grippers mountedtfor movement between an open and a closedxposition, means for yieldingly holding a said grippers in closed position, and-a gate mounted at eaoh side of the path of the shell, said gates being mounted to swing away from each'other upon movement of the shell therebetween, said gates also being operable successively .to open and releasesaid grippers during movement of the shell from between the gates into said holders.

- 14. Ammunition handling apparatus comprising a hoist conveyor, a magazine conveyor for supplying shells in succession to s-aid hoistcon veyor, Ways for supporting a shell during its passage from said magazine conveyor to said hoist conveyor, means operable in synohronism with said magazine conveyor for propelling the shell along said" ways, shell holders on said hoist conveyor cornprisin g grippers mounted for closing movement against a shell presented to said holders, and a pair of; gates between which the shell passes in its movement into said holders, said grippers cooperating with a shoulder on the shell to support it, said gates also being mounted to'separa-te when the shell passes between them and to cooperate with said grippers to separate and release the latter during the movement of the shell through the gates.

' I References Cited in the .file of this patent: ,UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,422,678 Dawson July 11,1922 2,407,692 Vickers Sept. 17, 1946 2,425,425 Jorgensen Aug. 12, 1947 2,456,620 Chadwick et al Dec. 21, 1948, 2,592,790

Brereton Apr. 15, 1952 

2. AMMUNITION HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOIST CONVEYOR HAVING A SERIES OF SHELL HOLDERS THEREON, MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID HOIST CONVEYOR TO BRING SAID HOLDERS SUCCESSIVELY TO A LOADING STATION, A MAGAZINE CONVEYOR MOVABLE INTERMITTENLY TO ADVANCE SHELLS THEREON ONE AT A TIME TO SAID STATION, MECHANISM OPERABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH SAID MAGAZINE CONVEYOR FOR TRANSFERRING THE SHELL AT SAID STATION FROM SAID MAGAZINE CONVEYOR TO SAID HOIST CONVEYOR, AND CONTROLLING MEANS OPERATED BY SAID FIRSTMENTIONED MEANS AT THE END OF EACH MOVEMENT OF SAID HOIST CONVEYOR FOR ACTUATING SAID MAGAZINE CONVEYOR, SAID CONTROLLING MEANS BEING MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT INTO 